The present invention relates generally to the conditioning of air within a building. More particularly, the present invention relates to the extraction of air from a building for the purpose of dehumidifying the air combined with the selective capability of also humidifying the air when desired at certain times of the year.
It is considered desirable for health reasons to exchange the air in enclosed spaces of various buildings such as warehouses, hair salons, chicken houses, and factories so as to eliminate dust and various noxious substances which may evolve into the enclosed spaces. Newer homes typically are sealed so that noxious gases may not naturally be evolved to the outside. It is thus considered desirable to be able to exchange the air in newer homes as well as in other buildings year-round, i.e., while being heated in winter as well as while being cooled in summer.
The degree of comfort in a building being cooled is related to the degree of humidity. Typically, a thermostat may be set at 72° during the summer for cooling. If the relative humidity in a building could be reduced from perhaps about 75% to perhaps about 45%, the thermostat setting may be raised to cool to perhaps only about 75° F., while maintaining the same comfort level. This would save substantial energy cost and thus substantially reduce the electric bill for the homeowner or building user.
During heating of a building, it is considered desirable to humidify the enclosed space to achieve the desired comfort. However, it still is considered desirable to exchange the air in the enclosed space being heated to remove dust, noxious substances and the like, especially in newer homes, factories and the like.